The residents of cantonment areas in Rawalpindi are charged several taxes yet they can be deprived of their property anytime.
The cantonment authorities recently issued notices to owners asking them to get their own property leased for 99 years or else they will cease to be the owners.
The owners expressed their concern and claimed the authorities have introduced a ‘Revised Policy of Conversion of Properties Held on Old Grant/ Cantonment Code Leases 2008.’
This policy empowered it to cancel the ownership rights if one failed to get the houses leased within due time,” said Citizens Forum President Aziz Ahmad Khan.
If the property is to be leased out, it means its cantonment’s property and there should be no taxes then, he said.
“This dual policy has forced us to move the court,” said Jabbar Khan, a resident of Babu Mohalla adding the policy is illegal as it is not approved by any elected assembly.
“Besides, the cantonment authorities also served notices upon those owners who were exempted from such taxes by the Supreme Court,” said Sarfaraz Iqbal a resident of Mareer Hasan.
The owners also complained of increase in taxes which are far higher than collected by the Tehsil Municipal Authorities (TMAs).
“TMA collects Rs250 per five-marla per annum whereas for the same, we are made to pay Rs28,000 in the cantonment board areas,” he added.
The owners have to pay ground rent, property and lease taxes and development charges but are also told that they can be deprived of their house whenever the cantonment authority wants.
Besides, the owners have to pay a premium of 20 per cent per square yard on residential and 50 per cent on commercial property.
The owners of commercial property are also asked to allocate 15 to 20 feet space for parking and get it leased on commercial rates before developing it.
“This policy is in contradiction with the Section 24 of the Constitution which states that ‘no person shall be compulsorily deprived of his property save in accordance with law,’” said Riyasat Ali, a member of the Citizens Forum.
He said hundreds of property owners have challenged cantonment’s policy of property taxes, and cases are pending in courts.
People demanded the authority should either let them retain the ownership rights or exempt the taxes.
Cantonment Executive Officer Rana Manzoor said the property will be leased out for a period of 200 years.
Property inside the cantonment boards’ is government’s ownership which can only be taken on lease, he asserted.
“Rights of those who are living on granted or other properties are limited and the government can take it back whenever it wants.”
He said, however, the authority will compensate for the structures erected on the granted property before any evictions.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 8th, 2014.